Electric connector and method of assembly



Oct. 1939. T w, rr'ro 2,177,989

ELECTRIC CONNECTOR AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY Filed June 5, 1937 NW! K //W 38 :9 39 58 V 7 l9 INVENTOR William H fi'l'llo ATTORN EY raten'redoee 31, 1939 UNITED ST T S mam coNNEc'ron AND METHOD or assnamnr William 11. mm, canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 5, 1937, Serial No. 146,601 3 Claims. (Cl. 113-332) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric contacts and receptacles therefor and a method of assembling the same.

flat area and to exert considerable retaining pres sure upon the male contact. Another object is to provide a female contact formed from a pair of reversely bent spring metal members, each 6 having a free end movable longitudinally along the receptacle to receive a male contact therebetween. A still further object is to provide a're1a-' tively rigid connector body in which the female contact and conductor cord can be quickly asseme o bled and frictionally anchored without the use of screws, pins or other securities. Still further objects of the invention, and the novel details of structure by which such objects are attained, will be apparent from the following specification and consideration of the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the electric connector;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section illustrating the ,0 method of assembling the female contact into the body of the connector;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the assembled connector; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section showing male contacts in engagement with the female contacts;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the lines 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing a female contact assembled in the connector, and

' Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing comprises a body member ID, molded ,5 in one piece from insulating material such as, Bakelite. Inexterior configuration the body member Ill has an annular mid section II, a rectangular section l2 at'one end and a circular flange I 3 at the opposite end. Extending L0 longitudinally through the body member. I0 is a pair of parallel openings l5, each having an end portion ii of circular cross section, connected to a portion I! provided with parallel flat walls It and opposed arcuate walls IS, the portangular section merging into a flared portion 2i terminating in an enlarged entrance opening 22 of rectangular cross section,

Disposed in each opening I is a female contact 25 composed of paired contact forming elements 5 28 and 21, connected to an electric conductor 28. Each contact forming element is made from spring metal and consists of a terminal 30, curved shank lland a curved male prong engaging portion 82 doubled back along the curved shank 3|. 10 A rivet 35 extends through 0 nings 36 in the paired terminal ends, 30, and an eyelet 31 embraces a loop 38 of the conductor 28, to rigidly secure the parts together. The eyelet 31 serves to permanently space the terminal ends 30 a predetermined d'stance apart. In order to prevent bodily movement of the contact formingelements in each opening IS, the paired terminal ends 30 thereof are slightly la'rger than the space between the curved walls I9 of the opening l5 and are driven into the surface thereof, as indicated at 39 in Figure 6, to frictionally retain the contact in proper position.

As shown in Figure 2, when the contact 25 is free of the body member l0 each pair of con- 25 tact forming elements 26 and 21 normally tend to separate from each other due to the springy nature of the metal and the longitudinal curvature of the latter. However, when the contacts are arranged in the body member ID as shown in 30 Figure 3, the contact forming elements 28 and 21 are squeezed together in the openings iiso as to' bring the pr'ong engaging surfaces 32 in contact with each other.- The free ends 40 of the contact forming elements rest on the enlarged por- 35 tion 22 of each opening I! and the oiiset portions, ll of the shanks 3| bear against the walls of the portion 20 of the opening l5.t o thereby support the curved shank Si in spaced relation with respect to the walls of the opening as indicated at 43.

Upon inserting a male contact or prong between each pair of contact elements 26 and 21, as shown in Figure 4, the free ends 40 thereof I slide along the portion 22 of the opening I5, 45 whereby the degree of curvature of the contact forming members 26 and 21 is decreased to engage the male contact 45 over a considerable area. The tapered portion 2| of each opening i5 accommodates the longitudinal movement of the free ends and the decrease in curvature of the contact forming elements 26 and 21 upon separation of the latter when the male prong is inserted therebetween.

The method of assembling each contact in the body member is illustrated in Figure 2. The cord 28 and the terminal end 30 of each contact 25 is initially inserted in the large end of each opening l5. An assembling tool 41 having an arcuate end 46 is placed between the opposing surfaces of the prong engaging members 32 until the end of the tool abufsthe eyelet 31. Pressure is then applied at the outer end of the tool to drive the contact into the reduced portion II of the opening l5 until the terminal ends 30 bear against the shoulder 48. The assembling tool 41 is then removed. In this position the unyielding walls of the reduced opening I! frictionally engage the terminal ends 30, as indicated at 39 in Figure 6, to prevent bodily movement of the contact 25, but the free ends 40 of each pair of contact forming elements are free to flex and move longitudinally of the opening I5 to receive the male contact 45 therebetween.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that i when the receptacle I is disconnected from the male contacts AS, the prong engaging surfaces 32 are in contact with each other due to the curvature thereof and the springy nature of the metal employed. When the male prongs 45 are inserted between the. prong engaging members 32, the free ends 40 thereof are forced outwardly of the openings l and the curvature of each contact forming member is reduced and the latter lies substantially parallel to the adjacent tapered walls 2| of the openings l5. Due to the curva ture of the contact forming elements, the latter engage the male contacts over considerable area to provide an electrical connection between substantially flat surfaces which reduces the electrical density at the point of contact engagement. The curvature of the contact forming elements and the springy nature of the metal, also provide an exceptionally long frictional spring grip between the male and female contacts.

I claim:

1. In an electric socket, a unitary body of substantially rigid insulating material having an opening therethrough, contact means comprising a pair of spring fingers each provided with an extension, an electric conductor disposed between said extensions, means for securing said spaced extensions and conductor together, said contact a means and conductor securing means being disposed completely within said body, and said contact means being rigidly connected by a drive lit to said substantially fl d insulating material.

2. In an electric socket, a unitary body of substantially rigid insulating material having an opening therethrough, contact means comprising a pair of fingers each doubledupon itself and provided with an extension, said doubled portions being curved longitudinally and having a free end movable longitudinally in said opening upon inserting a plug between said curved fingers, said opening being unrestricted to permit said longitudinal movement of said free ends of said fingers, an electric conductor disposed between said extensions, and means for securing said spaced extensions and conductor together, said contact means and conductor securing means being disposed completely within said body.

3. A device of the character described, comprising an insulating body having an opening therein, female contact means in said opening and having a shank and amine contact engaging portion, the walls of said opening being arranged with respect to said male contact engaging portion to permit flexing of the same upon engagement with a male contact, the walls of said opening embracing said shank and frictionally engaging the same to prevent bodily movement of said contact means upon the removable engagement of said male contact with respect to said female contact means. 

